CHICAGO, Jan. 6 — (PRNewswire) — NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data for in-vehicle, portable, wireless and enterprise solutions, is sharing insights gleaned over the course of the past year to provide a state of the industry perspective on consumer use of navigation. While 2009 has been a year where consumers have been offered an increasing number of choices in how they experience navigation and other location-based information, the aim of this analysis was to provide a quantifiable look at actual usage, as well as some related consumer desires.

The following facts emerge looking across the industry as a whole:

Consumer experience with navigation is double what it was just a few years ago; but even in mature markets it has reached only around 50%

In a NAVTEQ Tracking Study, 48% of respondents in the U.S. said that they had used navigation, up from 22% in 2006. Another 48% of respondents were familiar with navigation, but had never used it.

For Europe, the same study showed that in 3 of the most mature markets (UK, France and Germany) 53% of respondents had used navigation, up from 26% in 2006. Another 41% were familiar with navigation but had not used it. If the results are expanded to include Poland, Czechoslovakia and Russia as well, the number of respondents who have used navigation falls to 49%, with another 47% saying they are familiar with it.

In APAC (China and south Asia), only 34% of respondents said that they had used navigation; another 58% were familiar with it.

Globally, consumers have the most experience with portable devices; their use of navigation via an in-car system or mobile device is at lower and relatively similar levels

In the same tracking study, 44% of respondents in the U.S. said that they had used portable navigation (another 49% were "familiar" with PNDs). Reported use was 25% for in-car navigation and 21% for mobile phone navigation.

In Europe, 47% of respondents said that they had used portable navigation and another 47% were "familiar." Reported use of in-car navigation was 19% and mobile navigation use was 25%.

APAC results were somewhat more equally aligned, with respondents' stated use of portable navigation at 28%, versus 29% for mobile navigation and 17% for in-car navigation.

Consumers most frequently use in-car navigation systems, followed by PNDs and mobile devices

54% of U.S. respondents reported "Regular" use of their embedded navigation system, versus 41% for PNDs and 27% for mobile navigation.

EU respondents showed a similar pattern, with 68% saying they regularly use an embedded navigation system, while that number was only 53% for PNDs and 37% for mobile navigation.

In APAC, 67% regularly use their embedded navigation system versus 50% and 46% respectively for PNDs and mobile.

Consumers utilizing traffic services use their navigation system more than those without

In a separate study regarding consumer views on real-time traffic services, 48% of U.S. participants said that they used their navigation system more often than they did before they had access to real time traffic.

The pattern was repeated in Europe, with 44% of respondents saying their navigation system usage had increased with the addition of real-time traffic access.

Interest in pedestrian navigation is real among mobile consumers

In a Q3 global proprietary study conducted by NAVTEQ across 8 different countries, 2/3 of mobile phone consumers stated that they want a mapping service that provides both car and walking directions.

This range of data points to viable continued industry growth in all sectors and categories of devices. Consumer education remains a critical element however. Consumers need to understand the market offerings clearly to provide for positive experiences which will spur further use. And moving from awareness to use will require an expanded knowledge of the reasons to engage, from things like the time savings generated with the use of real-time traffic to the positive environmental impact of navigation use both reported in a NAVTEQ study from last year. The benefits of this educational focus could have a positive impact across the entire value chain.

About NAVTEQ

NAVTEQ is the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data that enables navigation and location-based platforms around the world. NAVTEQ supplies comprehensive digital map information to power automotive navigation systems, portable and wireless devices, Internet-based mapping applications and government and business solutions. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 4,400 employees located in 195 offices and in 44 countries.

NAVTEQ is a trademark in the U.S. and other countries. All rights reserved.